If you abase yourself, people respect you less because you behave in a way that shows that someone else has complete power over you.

When something is aberrant, it is unusual, not socially acceptable, or a departure from the norm.

If you abhor something, you dislike it very much, usually because you think it’s immoral.

The word abject emphasizes a very bad situation or quality and makes it even worse.

If you abominate something, you hate it because you think it is extremely wrong and unacceptable.

If you describe a situation or condition as abysmal, you think that it is extremely bad or of wretched quality.

When you admonish someone, you tell him gently but with seriousness that he has done something wrong, thereby cautioning him and advising him not to do it again.

A benefaction is a charitable contribution of money or assistance that someone gives to a person or organization.

If you describe someone as benign, it means that she is kind, gentle, and harmless.

Bonhomie is a friendly feeling among a group of people.

Censure is the verbal disapproval and harsh criticism of something that someone has done.

To decry something is to speak against it and find fault with it.

If you denigrate something, you criticize or speak ill of it in a way that shows you think it has little to no value at all.

If you denounce people or actions, you criticize them severely in public because you feel strongly that they are wrong or evil.

When someone’s conduct is deplorable, it is shameful, very unacceptable, or disgraceful.

Depravity is behavior that is immoral, corrupt, or evil.

If you say a person or action is despicable, you think they are extremely unpleasant or nasty.

An egregious mistake, failure, or problem is an extremely bad and very noticeable one.

Anything or anyone errant behaves in a way that is unacceptable or wrong; for example, an errant missile travels in the wrong direction, while an errant husband is unfaithful to his wife.

A eulogy is a speech or a piece of writing, often part of a funeral, in which you praise someone or something very much.

When you exalt another person you either praise him highly or promote him to a higher position in an organization.

An exemplary person is one that sets an ideal or praiseworthy example for others to follow.

If you extol something or someone you praise him, her, or it very enthusiastically.

An action that is flagrant shows that someone does not care if he or she obviously breaks the rules or highly offends people.

If you describe something as heinous, you mean that is extremely evil, shocking, and bad.

Ignominy is a dishonorable or shameful situation in which you feel publicly embarrassed and lose the respect of others.

If you describe someone’s appearance or behavior as impeccable, you mean that it is perfect and therefore impossible to criticize.

If a person or thing is infallible it is never wrong and so is incapable of making mistakes.

An infamous person has a very bad reputation because he has done disgraceful or dishonorable things.

Something innocuous is not likely to offend or harm anyone.

An irreproachable person is very honest and so morally good that his behavior cannot be criticized.

A laudatory article or speech expresses praise or admiration for someone or something.

When someone is lionized she is treated as being very important or famous although she might not really deserve to be.

Malfeasance is an unlawful act, especially one committed by a trusted public official.

A nefarious activity is considered evil and highly dishonest.

If something is noisome it is extremely unpleasant, especially because it is very dirty or has a bad smell.

Something that is noxious is harmful, extremely unpleasant, and usually poisonous.

If you describe people or things as odious you think that they are extremely unpleasant.

A paean is piece of writing, verbal expression, or song that expresses enthusiastic praise, admiration, or joy.

A panegyric is a speech or article that praises someone or something a lot.

A paragon is an example of a thing or person at its or her very best.

If someone is pilloried, she is publicly criticized or ridiculed by a lot of people, especially in the media.

If you receive a plaudit you receive admiration, praise, and approval from someone.

Probity is very moral and honest behavior.

Propriety is behaving in a socially acceptable and appropriate way.

If you think a type of behavior or idea is reprehensible, you think that it is very bad, morally wrong, and deserves to be strongly criticized.

If you say someone is a reprobate, you mean that he has a bad character and behaves in an immoral or improper way.

If you repudiate something, you state that you do not accept or agree with it and no longer want to be connected with it in any way.

Repugnance is the strong feeling of dislike for something or someone you find horrible and offensive.

Turpitude is the state of engaging in immoral or evil activities.

To act in an uncouth manner is to be awkward and unmannerly.

If you say someone’s behavior is unseemly you disapprove of it because it is not in good taste or not suitable for a particular situation.

Something that is unsullied is unstained and clean.

Venerable people command respect because they are old and wise.

Something that is vile is evil, disgusting, offensive, wretched, or very unpleasant.

If you vilify people, you write or say bad things about them to make them unpopular.

A wanton action deliberately harms someone or damages something for no apparent or good reason.

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Adj.

contemptible

kuhn-TEMP-tuh-buhl

Context

Littering is contemptible or shameful—why anyone would throw his trash into the road is beyond all comprehension. To think the rest of the world is there to pick up your trash is a contemptible or disgraceful way to live. Even more contemptible or distasteful behavior is discarding oil and gasoline on bare ground or dumping it into a body of water, allowing it to contaminate the water supply.

Memory Hook

Can'tEmpty That Bleach You can'tempty all that bleach into the ocean--that would be a contemptible act!

Examples

The meanest, most contemptible kind of praise is that which first speaks well of a man, and then qualifies it with a "but".
— Albert Einstein

The Minister of Labor, Mr. Ernest Brown, is a dirty, contemptible little rat who ought to be hounded from public life.
—TIME

Children are compelled to work for 'petty and contemptible rewards — gold stars, or papers marked 100, or A’s on report cards — for the ignoble satisfaction of feeling that they are better than someone else.'
—TIME

Some of the camps were under the command of Gen. George S. Patton, a great man on the screen, a contemptible bigot in real life.
—The Washington Post

Word Ingredients

When a person is acting in a contemptible fashion, they are “capable of being thoroughly despised” by others for what they have done.

Word Theater

Contemptible Conduct Former Mayor Kilpatrick is going back to prison for a contemptible misrepresentation of his finances.

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Word Constellation

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Related Words

abase* ·

aberrant ·

abhor ·

abject+ ·

abominate ·

abysmal ·

admonish ·

censure ·

decry ·

denigrate ·

denounce ·

deplorable+ ·

depravity ·

despicable+ ·

egregious ·

errant ·

flagrant ·

heinous ·

ignominy ·

infamous+ ·

malfeasance ·

nefarious ·

noisome ·

noxious ·

odious ·

pillory ·

reprehensible+ ·

reprobate ·

repudiate ·

repugnance ·

turpitude ·

uncouth ·

unseemly ·

vile+ ·

vilify ·

wanton ·

benefaction ·

benign ·

bonhomie* ·

eulogy ·

exalt ·

exemplary+ ·

extol ·

impeccable ·

infallible ·

innocuous ·

irreproachable ·

laudatory ·

lionize ·

paean ·

panegyric ·

paragon ·

plaudit ·

probity ·

propriety ·

unsullied ·

venerable ·

Similar sense

Opposite sense

Word Variants

contempt
n

→

looking down on someone; scorn

contemptuous
adj

→

exhibiting scorn

The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.